Robert Harris Coffee
Lacks transparency. Shows little about where or how its products are made.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 4 sources
New Zealand coffee brand and café chain owned by Japan's UCC Coffee.
We couldn't find where Robert Harris Coffee gets most of its coffee, a certification covering its range or a list of its suppliers.
Also worth knowing
Most coffee is grown in countries such as Brazil and Vietnam, where pay is usually below a living wage.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 5 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It doesn't show that workers are paid a living wage, and isn't certified as working towards one. On Track needs at least one of these.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 1 of 5
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsJudged on where coffee is usually grown: worker rights are poorly protected in Brazil, Vietnam and Colombia.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
Red flags 1
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Estimates for its products
Our rules applied to one kind of product at a time, using Robert Harris Coffee's evidence and, where it has product lines, that line's countries. They're estimates: we don't know which factory made any single item.
- A product carrying the Fairtrade mark: Good
Holding one? Scan its barcode for an estimate that uses its care label or ingredients.
Where its coffee is grown
We couldn't confirm where Robert Harris Coffee gets most of its coffee, so this shows where coffee is usually grown.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 35% | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Vietnam | 20% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Colombia | 10% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Indonesia | 7% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Ethiopia | 7% | Systematic violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Honduras | 6% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Peru | 5% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Uganda | 5% | Systematic violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Guatemala | 5% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: coffee is on the US Department of Labor child or forced labour list for over a dozen countries, and farm-gate prices often fall below a living income.
Research notes Robert Harris is a New Zealand café franchise and coffee brand owned since 2022 by UCC Coffee ANZ, part of Japan's UCC group. It names no coffee origins, farms or certifications, saying only that it sources quality beans. UCC sells some Fairtrade, organic and Rainforest Alliance coffee and aims for 100% sustainably sourced coffee by 2030, but no supplier list, audits or living income data are published for Robert Harris.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| News reporting and NGO investigations | Listed | Suntory sold its Australian, New Zealand and Singapore fresh coffee business, including Robert Harris, to UCC Coffee in 2022. View |
| Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ) | Not listed | Robert Harris makes no Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance claim; owner UCC sells certified coffee for only a fraction of its sales. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 4
Show all 4 sources
- Mocopan Coffee (Ethical Consumer Australia) · search the archive · UCC Coffee Australia owned by UCC Holdings; some Fairtrade, organic and Rainforest Alliance coffee; 2030 sustainable sourcing goal
- Our Brands (UCC Coffee ANZ) · search the archive · Robert Harris Coffee is a UCC Coffee ANZ brand with cafés across NZ; no origins or certifications named
- Kiwi cafe franchise sold (franchise.co.nz, 2022) · search the archive · Suntory sold its fresh coffee business, including Robert Harris, to UCC Coffee in 2022
Published by Robert Harris Coffee or its owner
- The Story Of Robert Harris · search the archive · Founded in Hamilton, NZ; dozens of cafés nationwide; no sourcing or certification claims
Company details
- Headquarters
- New Zealand
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Robert Harris Coffee ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/robert-harris, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded beans and roasters
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Robert Harris Coffee.